Sheet piling



Feb. 13,'1940. l H. M. KNIGHT SHEET PILING 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 14, y 1958 INVENTOR l HERBERT MKNIGHT H. M. KNIGHT Feb. 13, 1940.

SHEET FILING Filed May 14',` 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR H. M. KNIGHT Feb. 13 SHEET FILING Filed May 14, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lINVENTOR y HERQYERTMKNIGHT Patented Feb. 13, 1940 'n y. n .i i t n -l 2,189,8l4 ,Y

' .SHEET PIIJING Herbert M.'Knight;1Montclair, N. J. l

' yApplicationMay 14, 1938,l Serial'No."208,f052

. i v .aclaims (01,541-60) i y i rThis invention applies'to-iinprovements in sheet Fig.' 6"; Fig. 8 isa rsection of a curvilinear sheetpiling,A` and has particular reference to sheet 'pilpil'ep'ier; Fig. 9 is asection of lsuch afpier; used ing ofzsteel, or other metal.` i y as an anchorage infa" straight linecofferdam;

lOne ofthe objects-of `this inventionisa'sheet Fig. loiis'a 'section of such apin"l as a 7corner 6' pile vwhich is fully articulated. Another object anchorage for such a' cofferd'amg Fig. 11 is a sec- 5 of the invention is .a -sheet Vpile which hasv ya tion on the liney l|'-'l| of F'ig. 12; showingthe restraining groove as a component part thereof. method orl application of a wash-.pipe for the Another object ofthe .invention is a sheet pile Washing 'down and driving of'suchesheet piling; which can be fastened to f. other f and adjacent Fig. v12 is a section on the line y.l2-*I2 of Fig. 11, pi1es-by akey. stm anotherobjeot of theinvenillustrating such application; Fis. 13 is acoffer'- 10 tion is a sheet pile, `through the body of lwhich dem', showing'lthe application' 0f Suhhet piles, ,a'washepipe can be readily introduced .by means as walls, piers and` anchorages; Fig'li is a cross.- of which to more easily. andv quickly sink the vSeotionat the point of jointing of yadjacent piles saidpile. Avfurther lobject of the invention is ofrdifferentvdimensionsjvlig. 15 is'afcross-section A .l l5 a sheetpile whichonepora-multipleof vifa-entrant `0'f` a" joint, indicating th l'7115 0f 4IiOSiiiiOlilgV 15 grooves as a component` part thereof. Another key; Fig. 16 isa side elevation'olf-such a* posiobject of the invention is a sheet pile in `which tionn'g'key; Fig. 17 is a 'section Si'iOWing: an angle the lre-entrant Igrooves areproduced by means ConneCtOn nd Figr 13 iS vingiillfiiniil"SeCin of lugs. Still another object.' of the inventionlis 0f a Straighiieaihed -Sheeiifpile ieviiinenii.' v 20 a sheet pile which readilyxproduces'smallpiers Referringto the drawings in which similar 20 oranchorages.'y Another'object'of'the'invention numbersllfel'v t0 Similar'palfts Y is a sheet'k pile structure in which the pilingfis "'lisjthe bodypltinfg lSlflei'?Dilf'2 liSl a lapped. Still another objectv of the invention U-DlOtllberanCe' Or" Crimp ihleOn, WhiCh, With is a-sheet pilewhich automatically positions itself f lugs '3,` v'OIInin`I'-nl'li'iltni IOOVG 4,- BulbS 5 0f` with Vrelation `to other-and adjacent piles. A keys 6,V ar'nGaSed in 'Said giOOVES:A yPOSitiOnillg 925 further object of the invention is a *sheetl pile beadsl 1, serve to locate the a'SSmb1ed`pi1es structure 'in which the individual piles are loosely lOIlgiilldinally 0f y2t v'SIiiCiuli-T- ATCTDS 3. and" bound together vfor vease andrapidity of Udriving, Curvedfpilesf are Examples Of 'ilignlanpilingand which are subsequently rmlyand tightly GI'OOVGS'U, are in the'peripheres of vkeys'. Piers united into a rigid structure. Other objects yof H, andanchors i2, are'examplcs 0i the 'useof `30 the invention-will be disclosed'by theaccompanyassembled piles; Fillets |34. al'fOIInd On 'the ing drawings and specications, lugs.' Wash-'pipes 14,: alr inserted into the While the accompanying drawings .illustrate giOGVeS. and Zhalf-keys i5" SelVehtO" hodusad the usual and preferredembodiment ofthein- Pipes-in pOSiti'On-" SIOS l5, IeCeiV-and hOllSe 35. vention, they aronot toibo oonstruedasfrepref thewaSh-enipes.'and-shortened U-protuberances 35 senting-all vof the forms in whichitheinvention Hf Dermtthe lugs andthebodyof the'pile i0 may be embodied, nor as excluding suchforms enter the fOOt" I8. 0f "the pil drivinghamlnerashave notbeenshown. o v.A coiierdam` lggisformedfoflpiers. anchorages I illustrate myfinvention'by theoocompanying andsurrounding slieet-f'pilesiI Positioningfkcys o drawings in which Fig. l is a cross-'sectionvofa- 2.9; hai'ehOleS 2|, therein, intO WhiChpinS 22,' are `40 portion ofia sheet pile showingthey formation .l drifted for holding andfwith'drawing 'Said DOSif of the ire-entrantV groove 'after the U-portionof iiioning'keys'.' 'AngnlaifCOnneCiiOnS permit 0f the groove has-'been formed, andbeforeftheclosdeeCtiOnSi' "Mandrels '24" :tre `:Dflinilnly indiing'of the throat oisaid groove; vFig'. 2 is a cross-y cated aSfSl'lOWing their @111131057316115 Ain faShiOnngj section of the re-emrant lgroove artery-the said thefre-entrantgrooves. v 'v 45 .groove has been fully formed, andfindioating'the As usualiyzconstructed; 'a steel Sheet pile 00nprocess by which said groove iscomp1eted; Fig,;3 sistsfof afplate, having a 're-entrant" groove along is across-sectionof a straightsheetpIe, and Oneedge, landrasligiltfsnl'ead'illilliiilong the 0p- Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionvof anarchfsheetpile; posite edge; "this ibu'lbbeing adapt'e'dto` loei'n-y l. Fig. 5 is a section cfa portion of vasheet-pile Sertedyinto1 .the groove of a *ju'XtapOSed 4pil- 50 cofferdam, in vWhichja curved-straight'jtype lof `When sointroduced ltheresult 'is1zacontinuous sheet pile is indicated;` Fig.-6 is .anelevation of sheet of metal, strongly andtightly Ajoined,rsui a grooved key, employedin such sheet-pile'conrounding rand'qprotecting,some structure, or 'some' struction, on theline 6 6 of Fig. 7; lFien-f7 1a. projected structure. ".In the placing of'such'pil u cross-section'ofsuch` a-keyion the line-"1 1 of ingfitbecomes;*necessary**to-elevate each singlev 55 pile making up the completed structure, suiiiciently high, so that the bulb and groove may register, and the added pile slip down to its position, with the bulb inserted in the said groove. In order that tightness may result, there is little play between the bulb and the groove, and the raising, registering and sliding, above referred to, is' a hard job, requiring skill, power and patience. When sheet piles become extra long, these processes become exceedingly tedious, difiicult and costly.

Often such piling has to be driven in location. and soils where resistance to driving is great,

necessitating additional methods, such as wash# ing by hydraulic means, under pressure, in order to break up the resisting soil and permit the driving to continue to a satisfactory point. When such washing is desirable or necessary, -wash pipes have to be hung from the exterior of the pile, or suspended by some impermanent means,

there being no provision in, or on such piles by means yof which said wash-piping can be readily or skillfully applied or held. f

It also often occurs that such sheet piling is only of a temporary character, introduced in order to permit of safe and expeditious building of a permanent structure, after the completion of which the sheet piling must be withdrawn. This withdrawing is always a very difficult and costly process, the expense of which is rarely realized and provided for in advance, as the resistance to withdrawal is always an unknown and unpredictable item. Often the piling upon such withdrawal is found to beso badly bent and distorted as to be worthless for use in any subsequent location.

This invention overcomes all of the undesirable elements above referred to, and produces a sheet-piling construction of superior line and tightness, and which, because of itsv great flexibility, can be used to produce smaller structures, such as piers and anchorages, either separately, or as parts of other constructions, a condition impossible with other forms of sheet piling.

The invention consists in the formation of a re-entrant groove, or of grooves, longitudinal o1 the piles, either on the same side or on opposite sides of the pile, these grooves being either a short distance from the edge of the piles or at any point along the face of said pile. This groove is formed in the process of rolling the pile, the ingot or bloom passing successively through the rolls until a U, or a form similar thereto has been created, protruding outwardly from the face or faces of the pile being formed. While the U is being formed upon one face, two short lugs are being developed upon the opposite face of the pile, in opposition to the location of the U. After the formation of the projecting U and the depending lugs, the lugs are bent back ward toward the U and parallel to the face of the pile, a special mandrel being employed during the passage of the pile to restrain the metal and to Vproduce the desired form of groove. The lengths of the lugs are so proportioned `as that when in their final, alined position, their ends do not touch, but a short space interposes'between the ends of the alined lugs, such space being slightly in excess of the thickness of the `shank of the key to be used in fastening the individual piles together. 'I'he bending back of the lugs upon the pile creates the re-entrant groove, having a throat, or opening, between the wardly from the face of the pile. The proportions and form of the U and of the lugs is adjusted, so that any excess material required by the subsequent backward bending and alining of the lugs, is provided by means of fillets at the points where the legs of the U meet the body of the pile. The U is hereinafter, in the claims, designated as crimps, in order to definitely describe the form and the method of formation.

The piles can be rolled as straight piles, or as arched (that is, having a full trapezoidal form), straight arched (that is, having a slight offset at one end, in order to give a practically straight line of piling), or curved to any arc of any radius-the form of the U and of the clearances l beingsuch that any type of pile can be used, and

united with any other type, and with other sizes, widths, and thicknesses, the system admitting of complete interchangeableness.

It is apparent that each pile of a revetment, or otherconstruction, composed of this type of pile, is a unit by itself; that it is not rigidly, nor remotely rigidly conned or fastened to an adjacent or juxtaposed unit in placing or driving, and that in such setting and driving there is such freedom of `movement as does not bind or hinder the .driving of a pile by reason of its position with 'referencev to other and adjacent piles. At the same time, the pile, by reason of the keys, is, subsequent -to driving, so firmly fixed in position as tosecure rigidity and tightness.

f The method of procedure in setting and driving these piles is as follows: The piles are placed in a vertical position, the edge of each pile being in contact with the positioning bead of the adjacent pile, which brings the throats of the rcentrant grooves of the lapped portions of the piles in-alinement. A positioning key, a long key ywhich loosely fits the throat and hollow of the grooves, is then dropped into the alined grooves, its purpose being to hold these lapped adjacent piles in approximate definite and precise location, while the piles are being driven. This positioning key is handled and held by means of pins inserted in holes in the positioning key. When the piles have been fully driven this loosely fitting temporary key is removed, and a more closely tting permanent key is substituted in its place` In case the pile is to be washed during driving, this loosely fitting key is substituted by a special key, one side of which is solid and is located in the groove of the pile not being driven, while the other side of the said key is hollow and is inserted in the groove of the pile being driven, this `hollow section constituting the wash-pipe, and which is carried to a depth, at, or nearly at, the bottom of the pile, at which point, the water, under pressure is discharged with suiicient force to loosen the soil and aid in the rapid and easy descent ofthe pile. As such grooves and washpipes are usually in multiple, it is evident that there isa very uniform distribution of this lubricating liquid, a condition which makes easier and more equable the driving, and which does not require such high pressures as are necessary where a single'wash-pipe, at or near one end of thepile, is the sole and only means of loosening the ground. As soon as the pile has reached the desired depth, the temporary loosely fitting keys are withdrawn, and the final, permanent, tightly fitting key is inserted and driven down to full depth.` This nal key fully lls the re-entrant groove as" regards its longitudinal diameter. It presses against the lugs of both piles, forcing them'closely together, so as to produce a waterareasp@ tigntant, and. firmly bind: botnnns together.

Theseperman'ent piles are'usuallygrooved around their bulbs, the purpose of Asuch fgroovingbeing to form a clutch foruse if, and when, .withdrawal of the key is necessary, andi also as a :carrying and fastening means, if, and when,` av cementitiousv filler is desired as' between the keysand the'grooves. l v u In order to make this type of pile fully'in'ter.- changeable, the spacing of` the grooves'and beads is such that any pile'canI be used'in-.connection with any similar type of the same pile',l andin any position as regards top or bottom., that uis `'the distance of beads andi grooves from the edges is such' that any `single .pile can `be `usedfinon'e;'or iny a reversed position, and will vt thefstructureian'd adjacent pilesaccura'telyfand satisfactorily, withf out modiiicatlonfor. adjustment;

In order to give greater facility inthel positioning of the hammers of vpile-drivers", `andnotinterfere with the foot offsu'chihammers, theiends fifi structures, such as piers or anchorages.

of the U projections arecut off belowtheends of the piles, as is indicated 'iniFig 12, permitting the foot .of the hammer'to rest upon the ktop of the. pile directly and without interference from such projections. Usually the footisprovided with a slot into which the top of the pilezdescends suiiiciently topermit the pile to contactwith the bottom of such slot, the foot exterior thereto resting upon the top of the shortened Ueprojections, thereby giving the foot ya bearing on both the top of the bo'dy ofthe pile and' upon the shortened U-projection as.well.ly As both'endsrof the pile have their projections shortened, itwis possible, as notedabove, to use the piles interchangeably. l

It is often necessary to wash the piles down. This is easily done in this type of pile, by slotting the top of the grooves suciently to permit the wash-pipe to drop into the slot, below, and removed from interference withthe foot of the pile driving hammer, the said wash-pipe, with its attendant half key, hanging in the re-entrant f groove, and suspended in and by the slot, sinking with the pile as it descends under the blows of the hammer.

It has previously been noted that this type of pile can be assembled, ready for driving, without the necessity of sliding the edge of one pile upon and along the edge of an adjacent pile. In order to facilitate and expedite the assembling of this type of pile, the piles are rolled with a longitneinai positioning bead, so 1ooated as that when l the edge of a pile being placed, is brought into Contact with the positioning bead of an adjacent pile, the throats of juxtaposed grooves will be in alinement, and keys, either positioning or permanent, can be inserted quickly and without diiculty. At the same time such positioning beads prevent the side-slipping of the piles while being driven, and materially assist in the productiony of a perfect line of piling. t

The type of pile covered by this invention yields itself fully to the construction of permanent Such piers or anchorages may be of any desired form, curvilinear, rectangular or irregular, the pile adapting itself automatically to the plan. Such piers may be sufficiently small to constitute a single pile, driven at one operation, or they may be large, requiring the driving of a multiple of piles, each pile independently. Subsequent to driving, these piers may be filled with concrete, or any other form of construction may be installed, dependent upon the form, area and extent of the ,orobtuse without modicationof the essential elements of design or use.

In many locationszwhere angular connection is required, it is neithernecessary,desirable or possiblet'ofplace piersor anchorages; `In vsuch case's bent pile.- sections, in,` all respects similar, as r'egardsigrooves and keys, are connected to straight pile sections, driven iny similar' manner t'o'all piles, andconnectedtcgether by keys, all-in regular lmannerfand"form of procedure, and without ree v 4quiring 'expensive special' sections Yto meet veach individual. need. a Such angular' connections v"are,

clearly indicatedfbyF-ig. 117. I

Whereithe usefof thepiling lis temporary, with the necessity `of subsequent withdrawal', this type of Apile will be foundto be particularly well adapted.v Withdrawing the-keys, which 'canrbe easily and'quickly accomplished by 'attaching some'form of` clutchto the ygrooves of the'keys, releases the piles so that each vpileis-arl individual unit, no-

longerfrigidly fastenedfto the vadjacent units, so

that each pile can be lifted from its position in# dependently, 'and @without-interference from such adjacent-piles,'uninjured, and capable of immediate usein other'and',similarfsituations. Another advantage 'possessed by this typeof piling is, that, due tothe fact that at joints adjacent piles are lapped in orderthat the juxtaposed grooves may aline, vthe lapped portions of each pile canjbe of less thickness than the body ofthe pile, thereby securing a lighter pile without reduction in the strength of the complete pile driven structure. It will be seen that a single pile of varying thickness may be employed, as well as piles of varying thickness in combination.

What I claim is:

l.. In a lsheet pile, the combination of a body portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, a crimp on one of said faces, and lugs longitudinal of and in juxtaposed relationship with said crimp, said 'crimp and said lugs forming a groove, said groove opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive a key for holding adjacent over-lapping piles together. l

2.. In a sheet pile, the combination of a body portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, a crimp on one of said faces and spaced lugs longitudinal of said crimp with the space between said lugs opening through the opposite face of said portion, said crimp and said lugs being in juxtaposed relationship with each other, said crimp and said lugs forming a re-entrant groove, said groove opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive' a key for holding adjacent over-lapping piles together.

. 3. In a sheet pile, the combination of a bodyl portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, a plurality of crimps on one of said rfaces and a plurality of spaced lugs .longitudinal of said crimp with the space between said lugs opening through the opposite face of saidportion, said crimps and said lugs being in juxtaposed relationship with each other, grooves opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive keys for holding adjacent over-lapping piles together.

4. In a sheet pile, the combination of a body portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, a crimp on one of said faces, a crimp on an opposite face, and spaced lugs positioned in pairs opposite `each other and each pair in juxtaposed relationship with said crimps, said crimps and said lugs forming grooves, said grooves opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive keys for holding adjacent over-lapping piles together.

5. In a sheet pile, the combination of a body portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, crimps on said faces, lugs longitudinal of and in juxtaposed relationship to said crimps, said crimps and said lugs forming grooves, said grooves opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive keys for holding adjacent overlapping piles together and positioning beads on said faces.

6. In a sheet pile, the combination of a body portion, said portion having oppositely positioned edges and oppositely positioned faces, crimps on said faces, lugs longitudinal of and in juxtaposed relationship to said crimps, said crimps and said lugs forming grooves, said grooves opening transversely of said pile and adapted to receive-keys for holding adjacent over-lapping piles together and means in said crimps for engaging and supporting Wash-pipes.

7. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a plurality of piles, each of said piles having a crimp on a face thereof and having an opening through the opposite face of the pile with the opening in juxtaposed relation to a similar opening of a crimp on a face of an adjacent pile, said faces of said adjacent piles being oppositely positioned relative to said struc ture, the said adjacent piles over-lapping at said juxtaposed crimps, each of said piles having lugs at the opening of that pile, said crimps and said lugs forming grooves, said grooves of said adjacent over-lapping piles being in juxtaposed alinement transverse of said structure and a key in said alined, juxtaposed grooves, securing said piles against longitudinal or transverse movement.

8. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a plurality of piles, each of said piles having a crimp on a face thereof in juxtaposed relation to a crimp on a face of an adjacent pile, said faces of said adjacent piles being oppositely positioned relative to said structure, the said adjacent piles over-lapping at said juxtaposed crimps, each'of said piles having lugs in continuation of a face thereof opposite to and in juxtaposed relationship to said crimps, said crimps and said lugs forming re-entrant grooves, said grooves of said adjacent over-lapping piles being in juxtaposed alinement transverse of said structure and a dumb-bell shaped key in said juxtaposed alined re-entrant grooves, securing said piles against longitudinal or transverse movement.

9. In a structure of the class described, a means for retaining over-lapping piles in juxtaposed relationship comprising a transversely grooved, dumb-bell shaped key.

HERBERT M. KNIGHT. 

